This new material allows oil painting to be approached differently. It extends the artist’s freedom of expression, allowing a greater degree of spontaneity. Essentially, the Oil Stick is made from oil paint. A proportion of the oil is substituted with a neutral mineral wax, so that it can be handled and applied to the painting surface. These colours are of perfect quality: pure pigments are ground into vegetable oils (siccatives), selected for their low degree of yellowing with time. The choice and high concentration of pigments enables excellent light resistance to be achieved.

These colours are designed to be applied to conventional oil painting supports (oil-primed or universal) and demand quality background preparation. Suitable supports include canvas, canvas boards, laminated panels, paper.

Solid oil paint should be applied in a relatively thin film (no more than 1mm). Layers can be overlapped, in the same manner as paste oil paint, and can, if necessary, be thinned with petroleum or turpentine. Before use, the surface film should be removed from the stick; this will re-form after a few days of exposure to the air. Paint applied dries within 2 to 5 days depending on layer thickness and atmospheric conditions. A clear medium is available allowing transparency and glazing effects to be achieved.

Solid artists’ quality colours are available in opaque or transparent shades, depending on the shades of the pigments used. The product may be stored for extended periods of time and requires no special attention, apart from avoiding heat sources that may damage it. Once dry, the paint may be varnished like conventional oil paint, after a minimum drying period of 6 months, using an oil paint finishing varnish.